1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of fluid dispensing and collecting devices and systems, and more particular to a device and method for collecting a quantity of used fluid and delivering a like quantity of new fluid by use of a weighing mechanism in lieu of volume measurements, wherein neither the collection of such used fluids nor the delivery of new fluids requires the cleaning of the devices after each use, and is accomplished in a safe and effective manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mechanical, electrical, and other devices utilize a variety of fluids which must be replaced periodically. These devices include vehicles, machinery, transformers, and the like, and the fluids include lubricating oils and greases, cooling fluids, insulating fluids, and other kinds of fluids. Under present practices, after the fluids are utilized beyond their useful life, they are collected from the device in an unsegregated and unsealed manner into bulk drums or tanks. Not only are different kinds of the same category of fluids commingled, but various different fluids are mixed together this way, i.e. motor oil and transmission fluid. For example, different viscosity and additive package motor oils by different manufacturers typically are collected in common bulk used fluid tanks, and even if other fluids (i.e. coolant and transmission fluids) are managed to be kept out, resulting in a jumble of cross-mixed fluids of different viscosities and additives. The fact that the various fluids are collected in an unsealed manner virtually insures that further contamination of the used fluids with dirt, dust, water, etc. will occur, as well as increasing the possibility of spillage of the new and used fluids and fire hazards.
The concoction of different used fluids is then pumped out of the drums or bulk tanks, or directly taken in its drums by a used fluid hauler. In the case of partially recyclable fluids, such as motor oil, these used fluids are then delivered to a used fluid recycler, where the used fluid can be purified and recycled. In the case of various oil-based fluids, such as motor oil, the recycler filters them, boils off the volatiles, and sells the resulting product to various end users, e.g. to shippers for use as marine bunker fuel. In contrast with the relatively high price and high quality of the new lubricant oil stocks, the value of such recycled oil is low. Moreover, lubricating oil formulators will not buy these recycled oil because they lack consistency in their physical and chemical properties, which is in part due to the different oil additive packages included in the oil of different manufacturers. An even bigger problem is that the used oil is most often contaminated with other oil based fluids, such as hydraulic fluid and transmission fluid, dirt, dust, grease, and even water and coolants during its collection in unsegregated and unsealed containers. Often the used fluid is collected in an open basins and drums. This not only allows further contaminants to enter the used fluid, but offers little protection against fire hazards, slipping on spilled fluids, and environmental hazards occurring if the used fluid escapes into the environment.
Not only are there purity problems with the resulting used fluids collected by prior art methods, but also problems associated with the cleaning and safety of the containers and equipment used to collect used fluids and deliver new fluids. For example, after the new lubricant containers are delivered to the site and emptied of their contents, they are either discarded, or steam and acid cleaned by a licensed oil container cleaner, and then reused for new oil or delivered to a service station or other site for use in collecting used fluids or other used products. There is substantial expense and deleterious environmental impact associated with the cleaning of new and used fluid containers, and with storing and delivering these containers which are normally neither pressure vessels, nor capable of withstanding severe impact.
There have been numerous attempts to provide simple yet efficient used fluid recovery and delivery systems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,831 to Culpepper, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,450 to Gray; U.S. Pat. No. 2,552,749 to Tabet; U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,492 to Dunn et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,612,289 to Koester; U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,730 to Kitajima; U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,026 to Bauer; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,672 to Senese all have attempted to solve the above outlined problems, and have fallen short.
In addition to these problems, there is the issue of how to measure the quantity of fluid collected from and delivered to a fluid utilizing device. The person conducting the fluid change will either know in advance the correct volume of new fluid which will be required (i.e., from a service manual), or will measure the volume of the used fluid collected, and will add a like amount of the new fluid.
Due to the large number of different vehicles, one conducting a fluid change will frequently consult the manual to determine the volume of fluid required. However, sometimes the volume of fluid required, i.e. crankcase oil, is actually different from that listed in the manual due to the addition of oil coolers and/or other changes to the vehicle's motor and cooling system. Another problem is that sometimes due to fluid loss in the device, the amount of used fluid removed will be less than the new fluid required.
The correct volume of new fluid is typically added to a fluid utilizing device by either adding the new fluid from containers having a know volume (i.e. liter bottles of new fluid), or by use of volume flow meters. Volume flow meters are relatively expensive, and again, if the user is unsure of the correct volume of fluid required by the device, the metering will be of little use.
There accordingly remains a need for an efficient, safe, simple, reliable and environmentally sound device and method to collect used fluids from fluid utilizing vehicles, machinery and devices, and replace the used fluids with a like amount of new fluid, without having to know in advance the precise volume of new fluid required.